Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumours

Xavier: I was
diagnosed with Pancreatic NET five years ago. Since then I went through
different treatment, four surgeries, and a hepatic embolization.

I have now access
to a real team of experts, and it's important for me because I know that at
each stage of treatment, I will get the best case available.

Prof. Pascal
Hammel, Gastroenterologist Hospital Beaujon: There are several situations to
discover neuroendocrine tumours. It can be discovered by the radiologist, who
performs a CT scan for another region, and find a well vascularised mass.

Another situation
is a gastroenterologist who will see a patient complain of multiple ulcer pain
or diarrhea.

After the
diagnosis, there are many options for Pancreatic NET treatments. Whenever
possible, if the patient is in sufficiently good condition, we propose surgery.
When the patient is not operable, we can use medical treatment only.

Sometimes,
patients are operated on. If they relapse, we use medical treatment, or re-operated.
And some begin with medical treatment and then go on to surgery. Most should be
combined.

Of course, some of
them can be completely cured using surgery, and sometimes very aggressive
surgery (resection of the pancreas, resection of the liver, and occasionally
liver transplantation).

And there is a
reason why doctors are somewhat optimistic when they're speaking to patients
with Pancreatic NET, even if the disease is metastatic.

You have to keep
in mind that Pancreatic NET represents less than 1 percent of pancreatic
tumours in general. And most pancreatic tumours are adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma is a very different disease, because it is much more aggressive
and very difficult to cure. In contrast, Pancreatic NET have very slow-growing,
and they can be cured or if they are not cured using surgery or chemotherapy,
the survival of patient is very low compared to pancreatic cancer or
adenocarcinoma.

Xavier: In my
case, surgery was the best option. Pascal Hammel told me that new treatments
are being developed and I may benefit from them in the future.

Prof. Pascal
Hammel: Xavier's surgery was a very aggressive one. This was possible because
Xavier is young and he is a strong guy; very courageous. And this is the best
chance to slow the tumour growth.

Xavier: Now that I
have recovered from my most recent surgery, in fact, I go to the hospital every
three months for a scan and have a meeting with Pascal Hammel.

I'm now a board
member of the Foundation A.R.C.A.D., which supports clinical research and
patients' education for all digestive cancers.

I also know that
new targeted therapies are being offered to patients that are inoperable. And
it makes me feel hopeful for the future that new therapies will be available
for all Pancreatic NET patients.